Creative Scotland unveils £3.7m in funding to stimulate film industry

Creative Scotland has unveiled £3.7m in funding to help stimulate the Scottish film industry.

The funding, part of the Production Growth Fund (PGF), is expected to deliver more than £60m to the wider Scottish economy.

The PGF will support TV drama series The Victim, and Ordeal by Innocence, as well as feature films Gareth Jones, starring James Norton and Vanessa Kirby, Tell It To The Bees, with a cast lead by Anna Paquin, Outlaw King, starring Chris Pine as Robert the Bruce, and Wild Rose, featuring Julie Walters and Jessie Buckley.

Creative Scotland is currently establishing a new Screen Unit – backed with £10m Scottish Government investment – with a target to double production spend and increase Scottish company growth over a period of five years.

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “The Production Growth Fund has become a vital tool to support our screen sector by ensuring a steady stream of work for the highly skilled people who work in the industry.

“These new figures show the benefit to Scotland’s economy significantly outstrips the original investment, demonstrating the value in this programme.

“In a highly competitive international market, the fund has helped to attract major productions to base themselves in Scotland, in return for a guaranteed spend on jobs and the local economy.

“With overall production spend increasing by more than 30 per cent last year to another record high, Scotland’s film and TV industry is in excellent health. The new Screen Unit will build on that and drive forward even more benefits for Scotland’s facilities and crews.”

The PGF aims to encourage companies to base productions in Scotland in return for guaranteed spending on jobs and the local economy.

The Scottish Government said all productions in receipt of funding from Creative Scotland are required to meet a certain level of Scottish spend.